XLI. HE TELLS OF THE SWEDES AND THE GEATAS
"Wäs sió swât-swaðu Sweona and Geáta,
"hû þâ folc mid him fæhðe tôwehton.
"Gewât him þâ se gôda mid his gädelingum,
"frôd fela geômor fästen sêcean,
"häfde Higelâces hilde gefrunen,
"wlonces wîg-cräft, wiðres ne trûwode,
"þät he sæ-mannum onsacan mihte,
"heáðo-lîðendum hord forstandan,
"bearn and brýde; beáh eft þonan
"eald under eorð-weall. Þâ wäs æht boden
"Sweona leódum, segn Higelâce.
"Freoðo-wong þone forð ofereodon,
"syððan Hrêðlingas tô hagan þrungon.
"Þær wearð Ongenþió ecgum sweorda,
"þät se þeód-cyning þafian sceolde
"Eofores ânne dôm: hyne yrringa
"Wulf Wonrêding wæpne geræhte,
"þät him for swenge swât ædrum sprong
"forð under fexe. Näs he forht swâ þêh,
"gomela Scilfing, ac forgeald hraðe
"wyrsan wrixle wäl-hlem þone,
"syððan þeód-cyning þyder oncirde:
"ne meahte se snella sunu Wonrêdes
"ealdum ceorle ond-slyht giofan,
"ac he him on heáfde helm ær gescer,
"þät he blôde fâh bûgan sceolde,
"feóll on foldan; näs he fæge þâ git,
"ac he hyne gewyrpte, þeáh þe him wund hrîne,
"brâdne mêce, þâ his brôðor läg,
"eald sweord eotonisc, entiscne helm,
"brecan ofer bord-weal: þâ gebeáh cyning,
"folces hyrde, wäs in feorh dropen.
"Þâ wæron monige, þe his mæg wriðon,
"ricone ârærdon, þâ him gerýmed wearð,
"þät hie wäl-stôwe wealdan môston.
"heard swyrd hilted and his helm somod;
"He þâm frätwum fêng and him fägre gehêt
"leána fore leódum and gelæste swâ:
"geald þone gûð-ræs Geáta dryhten,
"Hrêðles eafora, þâ he tô hâm becom,
"Jofore and Wulfe mid ofer-mâðmum,
"sealde hiora gehwäðrum hund þûsenda
"landes and locenra beága; ne þorfte him þâ leán ôðwîtan
"mon on middan-gearde, syððan hie þâ mærða geslôgon;
"and þâ Jofore forgeaf ângan dôhtor,
"hâm-weorðunge, hyldo tô wedde.
"Þät ys sió fæhðo and se feónd-scipe,
"wäl-nîð wera, þäs þe ic wên hafo,
"þe ûs sêceað tô Sweona leóde,
"syððan hie gefricgeað freán ûserne
"ealdor-leásne, þone þe ær geheóld
"wið hettendum hord and rîce,
"äfter häleða hryre hwate Scylfingas,
"folc-ræd fremede oððe furður gen
"eorl-scipe efnde. Nu is ôfost betost,
"þät we þeód-cyning þær sceáwian
"and þone gebringan, þe ûs beágas geaf,
"on âd-färe. Ne scel ânes hwät
"meltan mid þam môdigan, ac þær is mâðma hord.
"and nu ät sîðestan sylfes feore
"beágas gebohte; þâ sceal brond fretan,
"äled þeccean, nalles eorl wegan
"mâððum tô gemyndum, ne mägð scýne
"habban on healse hring-weorðunge,
"ac sceall geômor-môd golde bereáfod
"oft nalles æne el-land tredan,
"nu se here-wîsa hleahtor âlegde,
"gamen and gleó-dreám. Forþon sceall gâr wesan
"monig morgen-ceald mundum bewunden,
"häfen on handa, nalles hearpan swêg
"wîgend weccean, ac se wonna hrefn
"fûs ofer fægum, fela reordian,
"earne secgan, hû him ät æte speów,
"þenden he wið wulf wäl reáfode."
Swâ se secg hwata secgende wäs
lâðra spella; he ne leág fela
wyrda ne worda. Weorod eall ârâs,
Fundon þâ on sande sâwul-leásne
hlim-bed healdan, þone þe him hringas geaf
gôdum gegongen, þät se gûð-cyning,
Wedra þeóden, wundor-deáðe swealt.
wyrm on wonge wiðer-rähtes þær
lâðne licgean: wäs se lêg-draca,
grimlîc gryre-gäst, glêdum beswæled,
se wäs fîftiges fôt-gemearces.
lang on legere, lyft-wynne heóld
nihtes hwîlum, nyðer eft gewât
dennes niósian; wäs þâ deáðe fäst,
häfde eorð-scrafa ende genyttod.
Him big stôdan bunan and orcas,
ômige þurh-etone, swâ hie wið eorðan fäðm
þonne wäs þät yrfe eácen-cräftig,
iú-monna gold galdre bewunden,
þät þam hring-sele hrînan ne môste
gumena ænig, nefne god sylfa,
sigora sôð-cyning, sealde þam þe he wolde
(he is manna gehyld) hord openian,